Sorry, The Liberal Media Isn’t Trying To Destroy Ben Carson

Once again, the folks over at the conservative website National Review have published something so ridiculous that I have no choice but to respond. Last time it was their pathetic attempt to link Bernie Sanders to Nazis and ignoring the fact that Germany was under fascism and National Socialism, which is nothing like Democratic Socialism.

This time it is their writer David French claiming that the media is trying to destroy Ben Carson for digging into his past and fact-checking the outrageous claims that he’s made. David French makes Ben Carson out to be some conservative Messiah, who must drag his cross through the political streets while he’s mocked and figuratively flogged by the evil liberal media.

Here’s an excerpt of his disingenuous diatribe against the media:

Hovering over the feeding frenzy is the absurd media spectacle of mainstream reporters claiming they’re merely “doing their job” by diving into 50-year-old details of Ben Carson’s childhood. The same reporters who were not just incurious about the details of Barack Obama’s background in 2008 but actively hostile to those who asked reasonable questions about his relationship with admitted domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and his years of religious instruction from Jeremiah “God Damn America” Wright.

At the end of the day, what are we left with? An admirable though imperfect man who rose from abject poverty to the pinnacle of one of the most challenging professions in the nation — all while never forgetting his roots, maintaining grace and humility even as he earned riches and honors. In fact, his life story — and his character — would make him one of the most inspiring Americans ever to occupy the Oval Office. But he’s a direct threat not just to leftist narratives regarding race and class but also to the leftist stranglehold on the black vote. And for that reason alone he must be destroyed. (Source)

Even Ben Carson himself has claimed that the media’s examination of his past is unfair, because close scrutiny of someone who allegedly isn’t just on a book promotion tour and is 100% legitimately running for the most powerful office in the world is apparently a liberal plot.

I’m sure David French already knows this, but asking tough questions about someone who disputes science and has some crazy ideas on the origins of the pyramids isn’t a leftist smear job – and it most certainly isn’t about race. Ignoring his glaring inconsistencies when it comes to Ben Carson’s past would be irresponsible and unethical journalism, the very things David French is accusing writers like me of.

Besides, why would the mainstream media want to destroy Ben Carson? He’s good for ratings and traffic, so destroying him would mean that the media would have to find another story, and everyone is tired of hearing about Donald Trump.

Ben Carson is the latest flame du jour in the Republican primary silly season before they ultimately settle down and pick a more serious candidate like Marco Rubio or John Kasich. Remember this time four years ago? Herman Cain was the Republican frontrunner after Michele Bachmann had slumped in the polls, and he was out of the race weeks later. Like Herman Cain, Ben Carson’s downfall is of his own making – all the media is doing is pointing out valid reasons why he’s not qualified or fit to be president.

David French also forgets that Fox News and the conservative media has been after President Obama since he was a candidate. Yet, despite all of their efforts, he not only won the 2008 election, but also won a second term. Not once through all of these years has the conservative media managed to prove a single impeachable allegation as they often claimed they had evidence of, so scrutiny of Ben Carson certainly couldn’t hurt him – if he is a legitimate candidate as he claims.

Besides, don’t conservatives shun the idea of people being victims and believe in pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, regardless of how hopeless your situation is? If Ben Carson could become a famous brain surgeon after an allegedly troubled and violent childhood, he can certainly stand up to a little media scrutiny for the next month or so that he will remain in the race.